Planets are a fundamental part of our universe. They are the key to understanding how our solar system works. They orbit around the sun and take its light, heat, and energy.
Without them, we would be nothing more than floating chunks of rock in space. Our world would not exist without its planets! So we bring you 15 reasons why planets are important.
15 Benefits Of Planets That Highlight Their Significance
Planets form from the same gases that eventually make up stars in a solar system. Nearly every planet has an atmosphere and weather patterns just like the Earth. Some planets may even support life!
1. Planets Make The Solar System
Planets are the most important celestial bodies in our solar system because they make the solar system the way it is. Each one is different, has its own orbit path, and rotates on its own axis.
The solar system needs diversity and balance to exist as a whole unit since one component is the reason why the other exists. They work together to form a part of our galaxy. We need planets for life on Earth to exist as well! It’s that simple.
2. Planets Orbit The Sun
The sun is the center of our solar system. Without it, there would be no planets. The sun’s heat keeps us warm and its light helps plants grow to create food that we eat.
Planets are not randomly bumping into each other in space! It takes a well-designed solar system with a smooth rotation of planets for life to exist.
All planetary systems, from Kepler-62 to our home system, orbit a star. All these solar systems have one thing in common: they must be designed around a sun’s material and gravity for life to exist.
3. Planets Have Unique Atmosphere
Without an atmosphere and weather patterns, no life is possible. There would be nothing to support a planet’s surface. Because a planet has an atmosphere, it means that it can support life!
Astronomers call the gaseous layers on planets the atmospheres. All planets, except for some moons and asteroids, have atmospheres.
Earth’s atmosphere keeps us alive and warm by trapping heat and insulating our home planet from dangerous radiation. And similar to our home, other planets contain distinct weather conditions and unique atmosphere makeup.
4. Planets Create Artificial Gravity
Artificial gravity allows humans to live in space without their muscles or bones deteriorating from lack of use. Artificial gravity is created by large spin-generating masses rotating on uniform circular paths.
These uniform circular paths are achieved by using centrifugal force to counterbalance the gravitational forces of massive bodies like stars, planets, and moons. And artificial gravity creates necessary G-forces that keep humans alive in space.
All planets create their own G-force and keep their moons and satellites in orbit.
Related Video – How the Movement of Other Planets Affects Earth:
5. Planets Transfer Energy To Their Moons And Satellites
All planets transfer energy to their moons and satellites through tidal acceleration, which is the gravitational interaction between celestial bodies that exist in a close orbit around each other. This opens up the possibility that some large moons may have conditions suitable for life.
Scientists have also found that the tidal acceleration between Earth and its moon is causing Earth’s rotation to slow down. Scientists believe this happens whenever a gravitational body like Earth gets close enough to another substantial body, like the sun or moon!
Planets have a gravitational pull that affects Earth’s gravity. Without planets, we wouldn’t have gravity!
6. Planets Affect Earth’s Orbit Around The Sun
Earth takes 365 days to orbit the sun due to the influence of planetary gravitation. This allows us to measure time over a year. Without planets, Earth’s orbit around the sun would be different than it is now.
Hence, the length of an Earth’s year is determined by the planets around us. Without planets, our calendar would be completely different!
7. Planets Make Night And Day
Planets reflect light from the sun into night and daytime skies. This allows for a cycle of day and night that humans use to measure time.
Hence, planets are directly responsible for how we measure time. Without planets in our solar system, Earth wouldn’t have any day or night cycles because our planet would be rotating but not orbiting around the sun. This is why it’s so important that planetary bodies exist to allow for this glorious phenomenon.
8. Planets Affect Our Seasons
Earth’s seasons are caused by the tilt of our planet on its axis. The tilt causes different amounts of sunlight to reach different areas, creating different weather patterns that cause seasons like summer and winter.
Planets affect our seasons through the change of Earth’s exposure to sunlight due to orbital variations about the sun.
Planets change the seasons on Earth by influencing our possible ice age cycles. This allows for different conditions across multiple areas on Earth at once. Planets also have their own seasons based on their distance from the sun!
9. Planets Impact Our Climate
The weather on Earth is caused by the sun’s heat and other planets reflecting sunlight into our world. This means that the orientation of a planet’s orbit will determine whether it experiences summer or winter, longer days or shorter days. Weather conditions like humidity levels, temperatures, wind speed, and precipitation vary widely from planet to planet.
Earth’s weather is affected by the planets. Colder planets can have colder temperatures, causing snow and ice to fall on Earth.
Just think about how drastically your climate changes from winter to summer. It’s all because of the planets.
10. Planets Affect Our Magnetosphere
The magnetosphere is a protective shield that surrounds our Earth and allows for life to exist on it. The magnetosphere protects us from harmful solar radiation and particles coming from outer space.
Without this layer, we would have no protection from the sun’s heat or radiation.
In the last few years, astronomers have discovered evidence of planets outside our solar system that may have their own planetary magnetic fields. This means there could be many more habitable planets in the universe!
11. Planets Affect The Moon’s Tides
Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of planets on the water on Earth. Due to these planetary effects, high and low tides can be found in different areas around our planet depending on where it is in its orbit.
Without these gravitational pulls, we wouldn’t have tides and there would be no ocean life.
12. Planets Have Distinct Features That Tell About Their Past
Scientists study the surface features of each planet to learn about their pasts. For example, Jupiter’s stripes are caused by planetary winds. since it used to be four times smaller!
Planets change over time due to the events they experience, like earthquakes or weather conditions.
By looking at the surface features of planets, scientists learn about how they change over time and can predict whether or not they would be able to sustain life.
Each planet in our solar system is individual. This is why studying them helps us learn about our own planet Earth.
13. Planets Affect The Level Of Gases In Atmosphere
Planets with higher amounts of oxygen can support life. Scientists measure the amount of oxygen present in the atmosphere of planets by studying their atmospheres.
Carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are also influenced by planets. This gas is essential for plants to produce oxygen using photosynthesis.
As long as there are plants on Earth, carbon dioxide will be emitted into our atmosphere through plant respiration. Hence planets balance the vital gases for our survival.
14. Planets Are Related To Astrology
Astrology is a pseudoscience that involves analyzing people’s personalities and predicting their futures based on the movement of celestial objects. It has been around for thousands of years.
The location of the various planets in a horoscope is significant since it determines which path is taken and where care is required. Tides and sea waves are also influenced by the moon.
The formation of tides and sea waves, in turn, influences the sea. Similarly, each planet has an effect on human existence in some manner or another.
It is these effects that are related to astrology. The influence of planets on human life has been studied in the past. Without planets, there would be no astrology.
15. Planets Are Important To Science
Planets are essential to science in so many ways! They catalyze the events on various objects surrounding them. They affect everything else in our solar system.
Science needs planets to study our solar system and beyond. The search for life on other planets has been ongoing since the time of Copernicus. Hence science can’t exist without planets.
On top of this, planets are the only objects in the universe that we can see with our naked eyes. Everything else is either too far away, too small, or hidden behind a huge mask of dust and gas!
The Importance Of Planets – Conclusion
Planets ensure survival and they foster life! Everything we know about planets and their effect on life is brought to you by this article.
Planets are essential for scientific discoveries and it is this reason why we should appreciate them more. They are an integral part of our solar system and they ensure the continuity of life.
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_acceleration
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/05/07/climate-changes-orbits-jupiter-and-venus-affect-earths-climate/587280002/
- https://www.uu.edu/dept/physics/scienceguys/2004Sept.cfm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planets_in_astrology
- https://scienceandtechnology.jpl.nasa.gov/research/research-topics-list/planetary-sciences
A sophomore in engineering, I’m a budding writer and an adventure enthusiast. My passion leads me on to try my hands on different things. I enjoy music, food, and good company. Making my way through life in my own ways, you’ll find me holding a camera and capturing what this world has to offer.